SIDMOUTH must pick themselves up from losing to the bottom side in the division to play the runaway leaders.

The Green Machine host North Petherton, who look to be on course for their second successive promotion, after losing 20-6 at North Dorset to leave them five points from bottom.

"We got what we deserved at North Dorset – absolutely nothing," said Sidmouth coach Jason Luff. "North Dorset wanted it more than us and out-grafted us, which was hugely disappointing as I thought we had prepared well.

"We were flat, we seemed to have no energy and we lacked a cutting edge in attack.

"With North Petherton then Wadebridge away coming up, we have to sort ourselves out pretty quickly. I know we can do it – we did it against Cullompton before Christmas – and we need to start doing it again."

Dan Retter dropped a goal and Tom Whelan landed a penalty in the defeat.

Cullompton need a win at Oldfield this Saturday, otherwise the alarm bells will start to ring around Stafford Park.

Saturday's last-gasp 20-19 loss to Paignton was Cully's third defeat in a row, and while they are sixth out of 14 teams, they are only 10 points from the relegation zone.

"If we don't start winning soon then we are going to be in for a tough second half to the season," said Cully coach Chris Wall. "Our problem seems to be we lose in tight games – Paignton by a point, Sidmouth by a point and there was only seven points in it when we lost to North Petherton (19-12).

"The irritating thing is we were probably the better side against Paignton – and I would hope their coach would admit that. The difference was we were not able to get our tactics into play and they were."

Adam Pearce kicked four penalties and converted Marcus Busch's try to give Cully a 19-15 lead with up with two minutes to go.

But Paignton had a five-metre line-out and committed every able-bodied player to win it.